Political, Social, and Religious Ravings from a Texas Conservative

Posts Tagged ‘GOP’

There are a few political axioms that I hold to be true. I have repeated them verbatim (and in general) in my writings for years. They include…

“A moderate is someone who pauses in the middle of the road… before turning left.” — TexasLynn

“The Democrats are taking this nation straight to hell at a dead run. Every now and then we elect enough Republicans to slow us down to a trot.” — TexasLynn

“The Republican Party has proven that it will NEVER be part of the solution to this nation’s problems.” — TexasLynn

All three of these (and especially the last two) have proven themselves out over the past few months.

A particular case in point… This week the GOP will again not do anything on health care. After wailing and gnashing their teeth for seven years concerning Obamacare, after passing a repeal SEVEN times (when Obama was President), today they will do NOTHING.

This might confuse the political novice who might ask… “Why don’t they just pass the same bill of repeal they passed seven times before”. The answer is they can’t (or won’t… take your pick).

This might confuse the political novice who might ask… “Why not?” The answer is they don’t have the votes.

This might further confuse the political novice again, who might ask… “But they passed it before?” The answer to that is yes, but that was when they knew that the vote meant nothing, that was when they knew it would be vetoed. The GOP (mostly the moderates) was willing to stand on conservative principle when conservative principles were guaranteed not to be applied.

That was the proverbial pause in the middle of the road… with their blinkers bright and shiny, flashing on the right side for all to see. Today, where the road meets the rubber (as they always do)… they turned left.

A friend recently sent me an email concerning conservatives “eating their own”; asking what do I think about it. He linked as an example an story about Ann Coulter tweeting incendiary remarks concerning Fox News and Ted Cruz in reaction to riots at the Trump rally in Chicago.

My thoughts on that are that Coulter (and many other Trump supporters) have valid grievances that have built up over decades. The pressure of these grievances has so crescendoed that it has impaired their rationality to the point that they lash out at anybody who doesn’t fall into lockstep for their cause (Trump).

To be honest, I understand this reaction. The reaction is valid and warranted; I only disagree with the vehicle chosen to give it voice and possibly power. And it could be argued that I’ve fallen into the same trap but chose a different path in channeling it. (see below)

It all gets back to the frustration of GOP voters built up over 20+ years of being betrayed by the guys in power. We’re not talking about the left here, but rather the GOP guys that we ourselves put in power. The pressure behind that dam is so massive and intense that it has led to people latching on to the thing most anti-establishment no matter the rationality behind that thing.

Coulters Specific Tweet:
On the specific issue Coulter was tweeting on, her grievance was somewhat valid, her reaction and assessment was not. (See, as a Coulter fan I can call ’em like I see ’em. No Kool-aid here.)

Here is the exact tweet from Ann Coulter…
“Fox News & Cruz are American traitors, in league with the liberal establishment. Silent majority must face fire from a unified oligarchy.”

I’d like to parse it a bit…

“Fox News & Cruz are American traitors”… You have to question if she believes this literally or is just using incendiary language to express her displeasure.

I was disappointed in Cruz’s reaction. I thought it was a political mistake. I don’t think it was traitorous. Fox News? They were fine.

“in league with the liberal establishment.”… Cruz (Rubio and Kasich) echoed the leftist spin for political reasons; again a mistake, but that hardly puts them in league with the real evil doers.

“Silent majority must face fire from a unified oligarchy.” Ahhh… totally true. But she might ask herself who else must face the slings an arrows of this group and who has done so for years before Trump ever came on the scene? That would be Ted Cruz.

Mistakes Were Made:
So, I agree with her that Cruz should not have even implied the violence in Chicago was even remotely Trumps fault (the leftist spin). Trumps words and temperament at his own rallies and its effect on his supporters is valid (and fair game) but not these organized and instigated riots by evil leftist (Soros, MoveOn, etc…)

Cruz made a political decision to take the tact he did and was wrong to do so. Fox News (being fair and balanced) put forth both sides of the issue where some commentators blamed Trump and other categorically refuted that. That’s what I want from my news channel. I guess Coulter took exceptions that both sides were presented.

Like I mentioned in another post, out of curiosity I watched other “news” channels that night (CNN and MSNBC) and was completely disgusted by what I saw; completely blaming Trump and celebrating the rioters as heroes.

So, in a nutshell, I think Trump supporters have thrown rationality out the window when it comes to attacking those who have yet to surrender to the movement. But by definition I think they had to throw rationality out the window to even to begin to associate Trump with conservatism in the first place; but that’s just my opinion.

Guilty of Same Sin:
But am I guilty of the same sin? Years ago (right after Romney), I promised myself #NeverAgain. I promised myself I would NEVER vote for a non-conservative for the Presidency of the United States; not matter the ticket he/she is running on; no matter the token VP selected.

So I’m against Trump; but I’m against him for the same reason I’m against Jeb, and Christie, and Kasich, and many, many others. They’re not conservative and after those two decades of settling, I’ve decided that moderate GOP officials are as much of the problem as the left is. I’m don’t trust the populist either based on his past.

So put me down as the #NeverTrumpJebChristieKasichEstableshment guy. I’m not likely to win, but I knew that from the beginning. Do what’s right… and to hell with everything else.

Building the Party is a big argument right now by Trump and his supporters. And there is truth in the fact that Republican primaries have seen amazing increases in participation (while the Democrats have seen moderate decreases). BUT I submit that those new participants can’t be be relied upon in the conservative cause.

Analogy: Let’s say I have two pounds of chocolate pudding; but that I need three pounds to feed my party guests. I have no more pudding so I mix one pound of manure into my existing pudding and viola! Three pounds of “pudding”! But what do I really have at the end of this process. Three pounds of chocolate #$@&!

Diluting the conservative movement with non-conservatives produces the same results. Exactly what did you “win” in this scenario? An election? Big whoop!

The media and the left (redundant) reason with conservatives that we must tack to the left and moderate in order to win. If and when conservatives actually capitulate to that argument, the next reasoning is we need to tack just a little more left and a little more and a little more… Let me ask you this, when was the last time you heard anybody advise the left to tack to the right in order to be viable? Thus my old adage “The middle is simply where a moderate pauses before turning left.”

If I’m going to lose (on policy and issues) I would rather it be by the hand of those I openly opposed, not by the hand of those I supported and elected. Becoming your enemy in order to win a battle (election) means you just capitulated the war.

But that is the key to WHY Trump is where he is. (Winning) The base of the GOP is so mad at being betrayed by those they supported (the Establishment) they have become irrational with anger; to the point to supporting the man who most irreverently sticks it to their tormentors, even if it’s obvious (if they would just look) that he doesn’t hold the views he claims.

AND… the establishment is obviously still oblivious that they are the cause of Trump! These morons trot out none other than Mitt Romney to kick off their opposition. IDIOTS! Even if you have a valid message, you’ve lost it by sending out the wrong messenger.

Maybe Trump is a blessing. In my opinion conservatives needed to have the same attitude if Jeb, or Christie, or Kasich were in the drivers seat. But it is unlikely they would have elicited the same response.

I really should be writing more on the phenomenon that is Trump. There is a good chance that he will be the Republican nominee for President. Many conservatives friends support him… despite my pleas and points concerning his conservative record.

In my opinion Trump is an explosive reaction that has been building for a decade or more. Trump’s contribution to the reaction is little more than being the guy at the right place at the right time. He is the means by which the reaction and message are being delivered. Cruz or any other anti-establishment guy would have done just as well had Trump not been there.

To understand the advent and success of Donald Trump; all you need to do is understand the concept of the middle finger. Trump is the means by which conservatives and fly over America is extending a collective middle finger to “The Establishment”.

“The Establishment” can be broken down into three entities:
1) The Republican Establishment which we see as fickle and having wasted opportunity after opportunity. They are no longer trusted to do what they say; and for good reason.

2) The Leftist Establishment who is taking Orwellian absurdity to a new level. Somehow saying one thing when the exact opposite is obvious to just about anybody. The economy is fine. Islam is a religion of peace. ISIS is contained. Swapping terrorist for traitors is a good deal. Global warming is the biggest threat to national security. These aren’t the droids you’re looking for…

3) The Establishment Main Stream Media that can’t be trusted to tell the truth; and forget about any pretense of objectivity.

The hatred and distrust of these establishment entities is so extensive that Trump supporters are willing to ignore a lot of things; and I’m not talking about the controversial statements which is no more stupid than the Orwellian tripe mentioned above created by the left and pushed by the MSM (Main Stream Media). No, I’m talking about the contradictions between Trumps words now and his past positions. The most striking examples include Obamacare (Universal Health Care), and abortion on demand (just to name two big ones). If Trump has any political skill (and he does), it’s knowing what positions to take whether he supports them or not and ignoring the elephant in the room (his past). So don’t say he hasn’t learned anything from the left.

We may indeed end up with Trump as the nominee… and despite what the left and right establishment guys say; he could win the general election. If that happens, they have only themselves to thank.

Unless Cruz pulls this off; it’s unlikely I’ll be participating in this year’s general election.

October 13, 2014… (9 months ago)RW: The only way I see GOP winning major elections is with a “freedom” platform, which I expect to see articulated further by Rand Paul and others on the small-L libertarian side of the GOP. Basically, “let the states decide, I wash my hands of it.” That will satisfy most social liberals, and piss off most social conservatives.

TexasLynn: I don’t see how you think this is an option. The left has made it very clear that they will not accept that compromise (states decide). To prove my point. Despite everything Texas has done… gay marriage will be legal in this state by the end of 2015. And the great citizens of Texas will have no say in the matter.

The Broad Path We Have Chosen:
Of course, I haven’t been concerned with the GOP winning for some time. The GOP “winning” has proven not to mean a whole lot… I moved on from that failed strategy some time ago, I’m even “evolving” away from my opinion on the need (or good it will do) to split conservatives away from the GOP and form a third party…

As for our current situation, you can’t say I didn’t see it coming, and not that it was that hard. Any fool could have seen it (even ten or twenty years ago).

So with that in mind, let me share what I now see coming. If you think the world burning will stop or even pause here (with gay marriage) you are sadly mistaken. Next… trans-gender and polygamy… and soon after… adjusting the conditions and age of consent… and… trans-species coupled with animal rights (meaning ALL the rights humans have). And these are just the visible perversion on the horizon. I suspect I am utterly incapable of even imagining the deviance the god of this world has planned for the faithful.

This nation is well beyond the point of any concern for human decency, or even the secular rule of law on which it was founded. The Republic is lost no less than the Titanic ten minutes after hitting the iceberg (even though it took hours for the ship to actually sink).

Our Last Option, A Lifeboat:
And if the Republic is lost, what can we (the sane) do? I used to think that we needed a 3rd Party, that conservatives needed to abandon the GOP; but it’s clear that was really never going to work; even if it did happen. We’re too far gone. Saving everyone is no longer an option and to try is foolish.

I can think of only one (sane) thing to do. Leave the fools behind and find a lifeboat as quickly as possible.

And let us christen that lifeboat “Texas”. So I would call upon those who see and know, those who are ‘sick and tired of being sick and tired’, to come to Texas. Let us separate ourselves from the hubris of a lost ship in the darkness.

Let us begin with a non-binding state resolution. The only purpose being, planting that seed in the minds of the citizens of this great state.

Let us begin the dialog with the accursed (left/north/socialist) concerning an amicable separation. They hate us so much they may say “Don’t let Oklahoma hit you in the ass on the way out”. (See here and here for example…) What does it hurt to explore that possibility?

Let us start the process and see where it goes and what options we have (pleasant, amicable, … or not).

“If the Republicans want to lose guys like me — and a whole bunch of still God-fearing Bible-believing people — go ahead and just abdicate on this issue (gay marriage), and why you’re at it, go ahead and say abortion doesn’t matter, either. Because at that point, you lose me. I’m gone. I’ll become an independent. I’ll start finding people that have guts to stand. I’m tired of this.” — Mike Huckabee, former governor or Arkansas, Fox News Commentator, and possible candidate for President for 2016 (The governor was speaking on American Family Association’s radio show Oct. 2014)

I’ve been where I hope Governor Huckabee and I hope others are heading for well over a year now. I’ve abandoned the Republican Party. They will NEVER be part of the solution. Their game plan is simply being less of a problem than the Democrats. The Republican Party’s moto might as well be “We’ll take you to hell in a hand-basket too… we’ll just do it slower than the Democrats.

On social issues they have already abandoned us and on fiscal issues they are at best pansies or at worst hypocrites.

Case in point. The 2014 elections less than a month away. The Republicans think they have the Senate locked up; or at least the good chance of it… so what do they do before the election… Anyone, anyone (Ben Stein impersonation)? Nothing. They’re too afraid of the MSM (Main Stream Media) and their own stupidity. Granted both are real threats.

So what should they have done in your humble bloggers opinion? Take the easy layup; especially if that layup could possible achieve a goal these idiots haven’t been able to to even get close to in years; namely the dismantling of Obamacare.

The layup I am speaking of is…. Pass a simple, short, straight forward bill that basically reads “No bailouts for insurance companies. Period.” Of course most people would say “Huh? Of course those evil bastards shouldn’t get any government bailouts!” But that is exactly what it on the horizon, exactly what is the law of the land. It is the key part of Obamacare that paid off the insurance companies to go along. It is the corporate welfare, quid-pro-quo bullshit Obama and the Democrats pretend they are against, but practice all the time. It is exactly what was hidden in the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and something the Main Stream Media has managed to keep hush hush.

Simply do the right thing. Do an easy thing. Something everybody and his dog would support. Remove the billions in bribes and pay-offs about to be sent to the co-conspirators in the Insurance Industry and they will abandon the Obamacare scheme. The whole mess will implode.

But what do the Republicans do? Anyone, anyone… they sit on their hands and grin stupid-ass grins with visions of power (the Senate) dancing in their heads.

Today’s the big Republican Senate Primary in Mississippi. It pits establishment candidate Thad Cochran against Tea Party challenger Chris McDaniel. This is an important race for conservatism and whether or not the GOP can be salvaged. (I’ve already gone on record saying it can’t.)

1) Thad Cochran is not mentally up to the job of being a senator anymore

Hawkins sited Cochran’s age 76 (and cited that while many 76 year olds were just fine for the job, Cochran was not.

He cited a few examples of what seems to be serious memory loss; and specifically an account by a reporter who had just interviewed him only for Cochran to reintroduce himself to her within the next half hour. (Granted, the MSM bias factor could be in play.)

2) Thad Cochran has served long enough

Been there 36 years (thus out of touch is the assertion)

An undistinguished backbencher (just kind of there)

Only distinction is one of the biggest spenders (pork) on the Republican side

3) Thad Cochran isn’t conservative enough to be a senator for a state like Mississippi

“Those numbers would be perfectly acceptable for a Republican in, say Massachusetts or Connecticut, but they’re closer to the numbers you’d expect to see from a Democrat in Mississippi, than a Republican.”

Meanwhile McDaniel is a fire-breathing, Tea Party-friendly conservative who has been endorsed by Sarah Palin, the Tea Party Express, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham, Freedomworks, the Club for Growth, the Senate Conservatives Fund (The same guys who helped defeat Cantor)

4) Thad Cochran is explicitly trying to get Democrats to put him over the top in the primary:

His supporters ran an ad in a weekly newspaper patronized by Democrats touting his support of food stamps.

“Large sums of cash are being passed around. These guys are old-school ‘walking around money’ vote buyers.” — Mississippi’s Democratic Party Chairman Rickey Cole on Cochran’s use of corrupt Democratic tactics

When a Republican is seeking Democrats to get him into office you can bet he’ll sell out conservative principles when he get there.

5) You can send a message to the Establishment by voting Cochran out of office

This one is about as good as it gets. Drop the F bomb on the establishment courtesy of flyover country. (TLs words not Hawkins’)

The Establishment is a bunch of politicians who don’t represent us and a party apparatus that takes our contributions and uses them to actively work against us? … like The National Republican Senatorial Committee

These go-along-to-get-along Republicans in D.C. are happy to lose every fight for America as long as they get to keep their cushy jobs.

Closing:
“The eyes of America will be on Mississippi tonight and the same establishment Republicans that supported Arlen Specter, Dede Scozzafava, and Charlie Crist will be rooting for Thad Cochran to win. They think nothing needs to change and the status quo is just fine. Chris McDaniel thinks we need more men like Ted Cruz and Mike Lee in the Senate and pledges to be one of them if the voters of Mississippi put him in office. Tomorrow, we go forward together as Republicans to put a candidate in office in November, but tonight we should make sure that candidate is someone who represents the people, not the lobbyists, the consultants and the GOP establishment.” — John Hawkins

Amen… let’s hope we can slow this dead run to hell to a trot in 2014 (and on in 2016). Dumping Thad Cochran would be a good start.